Many aircraft collisions occur while an aircraft is grounded, and often times are not the fault of the aircraft, but rather are a result of personnel and vehicles running into the grounded aircraft. It is common for such collisions to involve the wings of the aircraft, as they have a smaller profile when observed straight on. Additionally, while the fuselage may be visible, it can be difficult to determine the extent to which the wings extend from the fuselage. When there is little to no light, the visibility of the aircraft wings is decreased even further, leading to a higher risk of collision with incoming objects. Even minor collision incidents can lead to costly repairs and can temporarily ground the aircraft until repairs can be made, which in the case of airline companies can lead to further costs due to flight cancellations. Thus, a collision avoidance system to deter and warn incoming objects of the presence of an aircraft in order to reduce grounded collisions is needed. Furthermore, the collision avoidance system should be readily attached and detached from the wing of an aircraft, such that no additional weight is added to the aircraft in flight, and such that the aircraft flight preparation is not drastically increased.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a wing protection system to warn ground vehicles and personnel of the presence of a grounded aircraft. The wing protection system is attached to the wingtip, and includes a peripheral alert system that provides a visual and audible warning to deter incoming personnel and vehicles. A plurality of sensors detects the distance of incoming objects, wherein the calculated distance of the object from the wingtip determines the specific alert. As the object approaches the wingtip, a warning light changes colors according to the proximity, while an audible alarm can provide a constant or variable alert. The wing protection system is attached to the aircraft by a first wing clamp and a second wing clamp, wherein the first wing clamp is slidably coupled to a linear actuator that extends and retracts the first wing clamp. A first actuator switch and a second actuator switch operate the linear actuator. Alternatively, an activation handle having a first control and a second control can be utilized when the wing protection system is attached to a high wing. A surveillance camera can also be utilized to provide video surveillance and record any collisions.